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`f s rrn STATES -PlVrENT OFFICE..

JAMES M. MESCHUTT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

WASHING-MACHINE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 52,733, dated February 20, 1866; antedated February 9, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JAMES M. MEscHUrT, of the city, county, and State ot' New York, have invented, made, and applied to use a new and Improved Washing-Machine; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and correct description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, in which- Figure l is a side view of my improved washingmachine; Fig. 2, a sectional view of the same; Fig. 3, a detached view of the beater and its connections.

In the drawings like parts of the invention are designated by the same letters of reference.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and operation of an improved washing machine, as hereinafter fully described.

To enable those skilled in the arts to make and use my invention, I will speak of its construction and operation.

A are four legs or supports supporting the box B, of my improved machine, which box B is provided with the curved bottom b, which curved bottom b may be lined with zinc or any suitable metal.

C shows a second frame attached to the box B, and forming, as it were, a cover for the whole machine. kThis frame O is provided with the opening D and has hinged at its front end the cover E.

F is a crank-shaft placed across the box B about midway its length and resting in the boxes f f. This shaft F has attached, at or about its center, the beater G, formed of the yokeshaped frame g, supporting a series of slats, g2, placed one above the other.

H shows a pitman, attached also to the crankshaft F, and slotted at its upper end to receive the arm I.

I is an arm having one end inserted and held in the slotted portion ot' the pitman H, while its other end is inserted and held in the slotted standard J attached to the back end of the box B.

K shows the wash-board, of wood or metal, the face of which is corrugated and forms the wash-board for the beater to operate against, while its back is also corrugated and forms a hand wash-board. This wash-board is provided on its under side with the longitudinal slots 7:, iitting, when the wash-board is insertedin the machine, upon the stops'l attached on'the in=- clined front end of the box. Said slots are made sulciently long to allow the board to move freely up and down upon thestops l.

L is a ily-wheel placed upon the crank-shaft F, which fly wheel may be provided with a handle, by which the machine may be driven when desirable.

My improved machine being thus constructed, the operation is as follows The box B being partially iilled with water or suds stronger than used in hand-washing, and the proper quantity of articles to be washed having been placed therein, motion is given to the crank-shaft F. As this shaft rotates the beater G, attached as shown, commences its movement toward the wash-board K, catching the articles deposited in the box B and carrying them with ittoward the wash-board, and as it reaches the wash-board the clothes or articles are brought into contact with the corrugated face of the same, and by the conjoined action of the beater and board are manipulated, the beater having, as it passes over the face of the wash-board, a rubbing or drawing motion imparted to it by means of the crank and arm, by which rubbing motion the clothes held between the wash-board and the beater are both squeezed and rubbed. As soon as the beater has been carried above the face of the washboard the clothes are again dropped into the Water or suds contained inthe box B, and the beater continues its motion until it reaches the position it occupied when the machine was set in motion about the center of the box B when, by means of the crank and arm, a sweeping motion is given to it, by which sweeping motion the beater is carried to the rear end ot' the box. Having reached the rear end of the box, the beater commences its movement toward the wash-board, catching and carrying with it all the clothes or articles, and the operations just described are repeated until the clothes are sufticiently cleansed.

It will be observed that the wash-board is so constructed that the pressure exerted by it upon the clothes and in opposition to the beater is regulated by the weight of the board itself,

the board being provided with the slots, allowing it to play freely up and down upon the stops upon the inclined front end of the box, so that when many articles are placed in the box the board will adjust itself readily upon the stops, and the pressure exerted by it will be increased accordingly.

The advantage arising` from the use of the combination Wash-board is that, when desired, Washing by hand may be done upon the back portion of the same.

It will be found desirable in constructing the machine when it is to be operated by hand to place the handle upon the ily-Wheel opposite the crank in the shaft.

This machine possesses the advantages of simplicity in construction, non-liability to get out of order, as no springs or rollers are employed, and ability to do its Workv Well, as the clothes placed in the water or suds are caught up, rubbed, squeezed, and dropped into the water or suds again that these operations may I described.

J. M. MESCHUTT. In presence of- G. O. GORDON, A. SIDNEY DoANE. 

